102 THE SPORTING FISH 



try experiments with some paper pellets, when he 

 sailed off in magrnificent distrust. This fish must 

 have weighed at least 15 lbs. 



It is not to be supposed, however, from these 

 instances, that Carp are the only fish which are 

 capable of being tamed, or are sensible to the in- 

 fluence of external sounds. At .Sir J. Bowyer's, 

 near Uxbridge, Mr. Bradley tells us, there is, or 

 was, a pond full of tame Pike, which could be 

 called together at pleasure. Mr. Salter was ac- 

 quainted with a person who for several years kept, 

 in a water-butt, a Perch, which came to the sur- 

 face for its food whenever his owner tapped on the 

 side of the butt. According to yElian, the Chad 

 was lured to its destruction by the sound of cas- 

 tanets. Professor Rennie states, that in Germany, 

 this fish is still taken by nets hung with rows of 

 little bells arranged so as to chime in harmony ; 

 and, without going back to the story of Amphion 

 and the Dolphins, or the old Scottish harper, who, 

 according to the ballad, "harped a fish out o' the 

 sa't water," we may find hundreds of well-authen- 

 ticated anecdotes pointing to the conclusion that at 

 any rate some species of fish have a very consider- 

 able perception of some sorts of external sounds. 



Another peculiarity of the Carp is its power of 

 sustaining life out of water — indeed, its "hard- 

 dying " qualities must have come under the notice 

 of most fishermen at some time or other. I have 

 more than once taken a basket of Carp a consi- 



